What have you not been able to achieve?
I would have liked to adjust the relief culture in our National Societies and at the Federation, and mobilized more unearmarked resources for general capacity building.

What was your most rewarding moment in the last seven years?
The attainment of permanent UN observer status was the most gratifying moment, especially given that the ICRC and some members of the Security Council were not so favourable at the time. To achieve this level of international recognition, most National Societies went to their foreign ministries to promote the initiative. With all these people acting on a shared commitment, it revealed the potential of what it means to work as a Federation. And if that kind of energy can be further harnessed and unleashed as a power of good, it is an unbeatable force.

As former CEO of the Canadian Red Cross you had to respond to the investigation into the distribution of hiv-infected blood. What was your response?
I was very involved in my work, and it was disturbing at times to have to deal with what was going on in Canada. I did go back to testify voluntarily to help set the record straight and provide some balance in the argumentation. It bothers me even today. We did the best job we could at the time. Some things could have been done differently, but with the information that was available we did what we thought was best and the record shows that.

How would you describe relations with the ICRC over the last seven years?
Generally speaking relations were good. It is true that as the Federation developed its capacity, some of our achievements caused strains in our relations. But I would like to emphasize that when a problem arose senior management on both sides met to discuss and find a solution. There will undoubtedly be difficult moments in the future, particularly when you start looking at the statutes of the Movement. In this area, I think there are some things that the Federation should be doing, which are currently in the domain of the ICRC. Overall, I think relations will remain good and cooperation at many levels will strengthen.

What do you see as the weaknesses and strengths of the Movement?
I think the name Movement is a weak point. I remember when it was agreed upon. Nobody really liked it, but it was impossible at the time to come up with something better that could be easily translated into four languages. The strengths are the symbols, the values, the principles, the Geneva Conventions, our history, our network, our volunteer base with the professional support. And the worldwide profile.

With the Internet becoming more accessible, what, if any, impact do you see the electronic age having on humanitarian causes like the Red Cross Red Crescent?
The day is fast arriving when somebody in downtown Chicago goes on the Internet and donates directly to a local chapter in Bangladesh. Forget all the bureaucracy in between. This will have an enormous impact on our standards, the quality of programmes, profile, and relations with donors. This last element will place more stress on humanitarian institutions for greater transparency and accountability to a larger and more diverse group of donors.

The Federation is about to begin an important campaign to highlight the role of volunteers. What place does the volunteer have in the Red Cross Red Crescent today?
They are vital. They are what the Movement is all about in terms of the spirit, principles and pioneering role of individuals. Most of the local branches worldwide are run by volunteers. But we need to do more for our volunteers.
First, they must be more involved in the decision-making and governance aspects both locally and nationally. Also they need to receive more recognition and support for their work as service providers. I believe that the future of the Red Cross and Red Crescent depends on our improving the treatment of the people who embody our philosophy and history.